


"I love you!"

by orphan_account



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Gen, Ra's al Ghul - Freeform, finale, loa - Freeform, olicity - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-04
Updated: 2014-11-04
Packaged: 2018-02-24 03:24:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2566514
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ra’s asks Oliver to join him and leave behind his life in starling city, but Oliver has to see Felicity first before taking his offer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	"I love you!"

“Apart, we are strong. But together we are unstoppable,” Ra’s leveled Oliver with a stare that made even Oliver Queen’s strong gaze waver, “Your family and friends would be safe, I would make sure of that. But you must never return to them.” 

Oliver knew this was it—the answer he had been looking for. The way to keep everyone he loved safe. He should have been jumping at it. 

“Something is stopping you,” Ra’s speculated at Oliver’s frozen expression, “Someone, perhaps?” Oliver couldn’t stop his mind from racing to Felicity’s bright smile and clear blue eyes; couldn’t help but wonder if leaving now was turning away from what they could be. 

“Settle what needs to be settled, or decide you don’t want to join me after all. You have until tomorrow morning,” With that, Ra’s turned from Oliver, disappearing into the bright sunset behind them.

Oliver didn’t know what he was going to do. He didn’t know if this was the answer to keeping everyone safe or not, but he did know one thing with absolute certainty.

He needed to see Felicity.

***

When he reached the lair, it was surprisingly empty, and he found himself circling the room—taking it all in. He had built a life here, with these weapons and computers, and the people that used them. As much as he had pushed everyone away lately, it hurt to think about never seeing them again.

He sat tentatively in Felicity’s chair, as though expecting her voice to reprimand him for the intrusion. He wasn’t sure how long he sat there, hands lightly trailing over the keyboard and arms of the chair, as he tried to memorize where she sat, day after day.

“Oliver, what are you doing?” Felicity’s voice startled him out of himself as it echoed in the empty room.

Oliver turned in her chair, rising from it and walking towards her slowly. His eyes slowly gazed over her small form, fitted in a short black skirt and pink blouse that brought out the flush in her cheeks. Her hair was unusually down, billowing around her shoulders softly. She looked at him through concerned blue spheres behind her glasses, and cocked her head a bit in confusion at his obvious study. Her glasses seemed to simultaneously hide and enhance the brightness of her eyes; made her seem both smart and sophisticated; alluring and soft. He loved her glasses.

“Don’t ever stop wearing your glasses. They’re a part of you,” Oliver blurted, before he could stop himself. Felicity halted her path towards him, looking astounded at his speculation.

“Thank you,” She said slowly, “Oliver, are you alright?” She asked, looking so concerned it made a pinch in his chest, forcing him to look away. 

“I’m just fine,” Oliver said lightly. His gaze met the display case holding his suit. Although he would be wearing the same suit if he joined Ra’s, it wouldn’t mean the same thing. The Arrow wasn’t just Oliver—despite him being the man in the hood. It was all of them, together that made the Arrow a hero. Without them, that hero was just a man in green leather.

“You know you were the first person to not accuse me of being a murderer,” Oliver speculated, knowing Felicity was listening behind him, “Everybody else, when I told them my secret, told me what I was doing was wrong. They told me I was a killer. Even Digg thought so, at first,” Oliver had to turn and look at Felicity then; feeling the sudden need to let her know how much this meant to him.

“But not you. My entire life, people have seen me as selfish and uncaring. You knew I could do more—be more. You believed in me. You still do, even if I’m not sure why,” Oliver couldn’t hide the awe in his voice. How had she believed in him, when he had no moral compass? Why didn’t she see how terrible he truly still was?

Felicity seemed to move past her shock at Oliver’s openness, because suddenly she had her arms around his neck, body flush against his.

“Because you’re worth believing in,” Felicity muttered into his neck, and Oliver felt a flutter of hope rise in him at her words. Oliver longed for a life with Felicity—without the dangers of his night life. Where they could be together. Where they could be safe. And with her in his arms, it seemed almost possible.

“Felicity,” his voice hitched, and he tried to push through it, but his words halted on his tongue. She had moved on with Ray—moved on from Oliver. It was time for him to move on too, or at least let her be happy. He knew Ray would keep her safe like Oliver couldn’t, because he could never stop being the Arrow, no matter how much he wanted to.

“Felicity, I have to go,” Oliver said abruptly, pulling out of Felicity’s embrace and turning to walk away without looking at her. He shouldn’t have come here. Shouldn’t have come to say goodbye.

“Oliver, wait! What’s going on?” She pleaded, her voice rising in both emotion and frustration.

“Nothing. It’s not for you to worry about,” Oliver said, but he knew his tone did little to ease her worry—he couldn’t hide from Felicity. She knew him better than anybody. She knew something was off.

“Please just tell me. I can take it,” Felicity said, a hand clasping his arm as she caught up to him. The contact set his blood on fire. He couldn’t think about anything other than that he had to tell her, before it was too late. He had to know if there was a reason for him to stay. Oliver felt the words that had been on the tip of his tongue for months bubble over as almost a yell of frustration.

“I love you!” He put a hand roughly through his hair, “Damnit, Felicity! I love you, alright?” Oliver tried to calm his breathing, waiting for her response. Because suddenly he knew why he had come here before he left with Ra’s. She was the one person he would stay for, if she wanted him too. So he waited, hoping she would say the three little words he needed. The one sentence that would make him stay.

“I…I…What?” Felicity stammered, looking bewildered at both the words and the absolute anguish in his eyes, “Oliver, you have barely said anything to me for weeks and now you just…” Felicity backed up hastily as Oliver came closer.

“Fe-lic-i-ty,” Oliver halted her retreat with an arm on hers, “Do you love me?” Oliver’s voice was too harsh, too demanding. He knew that. He knew she didn’t understand the vulnerability in his eyes—the crazed need he had to hear her say those words. But he was running out of time. He needed an answer.

“Oliver, just give me a minute,” Felicity yelled at him, an overwhelmed flush creeping up her neck, “I’m with Ray! You can’t just waltz in here out of nowhere and say that you love me and expect me to know how to react!”

Oliver tried to listen to the rest of Felicity’s overwhelmed babble, but kept hearing three words in his head. The wrong three words.

I’m with Ray.

Felicity must have noticed the fight go out of him, because she stopped talking and stared up at him warily, trying to gauge his thoughts. Oliver made himself memorize everything about her, from the way her pink lips glossed in the light, to the tall black heels curled around her feet, before using all the strength he had left in him to left go of the small ivory had that had encompassed his and take a step back.

“You’re right,” Oliver said in a blank tone, “Goodnight, Felicity.”

Oliver heard Felicity’s distant protests as he left, but tuned them out. She had answered his question whether she knew it or not. She was with Ray. And she would get over his disappearance and Ray would help her. She would be happy and safe. And that’s what mattered.


End file.
